Local officials on the move

March 22, 2013

Inyo County is poised to lose two longtime public officials while gaining an experienced public servant from the Town of Mammoth Lakes.
In a bit of shuffling between the two counties, Auditor-Controller Leslie Chapman will be leaving the elected post she’s held since 2003 to take a similar position with Mono County. Mammoth Lakes Housing, Inc. Executive Director Pam Hennarty is resigning from her post, meanwhile, to serve as Inyo County’s deputy administrator, effective April 12 and Inyo County Counsel Randy Keller will be retiring this summer.
Hennarty’s resignation and hire at Inyo County were announced Tuesday in a press release issued by Mammoth Lakes Housing, where Hennarty has worked since 2004.
“It was a very difficult decision to leave Mammoth Lakes Housing,” Hennarty said. “The organization has been home to me for many years. Providing safe, decent, affordable homes to the people who serve our community has been an honor.”
Hennarty, a Bishop resident and Bishop Union High School graduate, first joined Mammoth Lakes Housing as a project manager, overseeing the construction of the nonprofit’s first four workforce housing developments.
In 2007, she was appointed as executive director and oversaw affordable housing opportunities in Mammoth Lakes, greater Mono County and within the City of Bishop.
“Mammoth Lakes Housing has diversified, adapted and evolved under Pam’s direction,” said Mammoth Lakes Housing Board President Kirk Stapp. “She has been an asset to the organization. We thank her for her service and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Hennarty’s employment as deputy county administrator under Kevin Carunchio was approved by the Board of Supervisors as a consent agenda item at its March 19 meeting. Carunchio has included the position in the budget, at $8,540 a month, for the past several fiscal years but has not to filled it until now.
While Hennarty prepares to join Inyo County’s staff, Keller is preparing for his retirement effective Aug. 4.
Chapman, meanwhile, is expected to start her new position as Mono County finance director in May.
“Rumors have been running rampant, so at this point we’re doing rumor control,” Chapman said, before explaining that Mono County has made her an offer, and she has accepted, but negotiations are ongoing and no contracts have been signed. “It’s probably a-go, so I think it’s safe to make the announcement.”
Chapman said her first day of work has tentatively been scheduled for Wednesday, May 1.
“I have an awesome staff in Inyo County, and they’re ready to take over,” Chapman said.
Chapman has served as Inyo County auditor-controller for more than 10 years. She was elected in 2002 and first took office in 2003. She was re-elected in 2006 and 2010. Her current term expires Dec. 31, 2014.
Chapman said the county will not hold a special election to fill her position, and will appoint a successor to serve out the remainder of her term. The auditor-controller’s position will be on the November 2014 ballot.
Both Keller and Carunchio were unavailable for comment Friday. For more information on Keller’s retirement and the county’s plans for filling his shoes, see upcoming issues of The Inyo Register.